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Happy Hanukkah!

With the coincidental (and/or lunar) coincidence of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, the holiday season has officially begun.

Of course, if you’ve been in a mall, watched TV, or listened to the radio at any point in the last few months, then you know the holidays really began quite some time ago. Hallmark stores release their annual Christmas ornaments in July (maybe it’s their way of honoring the release of the classic Miracle on 34th Street, which was advertised as “Christmas in July”). There’s talk of sales and recipes for some time before any holiday actually arrives on the calendar.

Being of the gentile persuasion, it’s really not my place to opine about a Jewish holiday. But it has always seemed like a warm affair. Maybe that’s just me conflating it with what the season represents for seculars and Christians. I know it’s not considered one of the holiest holidays; that’s reserved for the High Holy days, of course. I think, though, that may have something to do with more contemporary culture and the way Hanukkah and Christmas come so close on the calendar. It seems fun from the outside, what with the candle-lighting and gift-giving and games.

So I wish any Jewish folks who happen to read this a Happy Hanukkah. I will not conflate your holiday with Thanksgiving, which is the most secular of holidays. But I will risk offending someone by including a clip of Me First & the Gimme Gimmes ruining Johnny’s Bar Mitzvah (a totally separate and also religious celebration). “Hava Nagila” doesn’t show up until the end, though, so you’ll have to put up with some other nonsense first.